Five British MPs have written to Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper demanding “urgent” UN-led military intervention to halt what they describe as Israel’s genocide in Gaza, marking an unprecedented escalation in parliamentary pressure on the government over the conflict. The letter calls for Britain to initiate a “multinational peace enforcement mission” and warns that diplomatic measures have failed to protect Palestinian civilians.
Independent MP Adnan Hussain led the initiative, securing signatures from three fellow members of the parliamentary Independent Alliance – Ayoub Khan, Iqbal Mohamed and Shockat Adam – as well as Liberal Democrat MP Andrew George. The cross-party intervention follows Tuesday’s damning UN commission report which found Israel has committed four of the five acts prohibited under the 1948 Genocide Convention.
“The UK is a founding signatory of the Genocide Convention and a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council,” the letter states. “These positions are not ceremonial. They come with binding legal and obligations.”
Demanding Military Action
The parliamentarians argue that Britain’s obligations under the Genocide Convention require not just condemnation but active measures to “prevent and to punish genocide.” They cite the UN Charter’s provisions authorising the Security Council to take enforcement measures, including military intervention, when international peace and security face threats.
The letter represents the strongest parliamentary call yet for direct military involvement to protect Gaza’s civilian population. It urges the government to table a Security Council resolution “authorising all necessary measures, including military action, to protect civilians in Gaza and halt genocide.”
Anticipating potential vetoes from the United States or other permanent Security Council members, the MPs outline an alternative strategy. Should the resolution be blocked, they call on Britain to lead efforts at the UN General Assembly to seek authorisation for intervention through alternative mechanisms.
The parliamentarians also demand the government begin “urgent consultations” with allied nations to prepare for deployment of multinational forces capable of establishing protected zones, enforcing ceasefires and guaranteeing humanitarian access to Gaza’s besieged population.
Independent Alliance Takes Lead
The initiative emerged from the Independent Alliance, a parliamentary group formed in September 2024 by MPs elected on pro-Palestinian platforms during July’s general election. The alliance, which includes former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn alongside the letter’s signatories, has positioned itself as Parliament’s most vocal critic of government policy on Gaza.
Adnan Hussain, the 35-year-old solicitor who defeated Labour’s incumbent in Blackburn, has emerged as a leading voice on the issue. Speaking after his election, he stated: “We are here on the back of a genocide and if that’s giving us the opportunity to unite our communities then we must grasp it.”
The Independent Alliance members – Adam, Hussain, Khan and Mohamed – all unseated Labour MPs in constituencies with significant Muslim populations, riding a wave of voter anger over Labour’s perceived failure to adequately condemn Israel’s military campaign.
Shockat Adam, who represents Leicester South, defeated Labour’s candidate by focusing almost entirely on Gaza. The optometrist-turned-politician had never previously held political office nor maintained public social media before his campaign.
UN Finds Evidence of Genocide
The MPs’ letter draws authority from Tuesday’s UN commission report, which concluded that Israel has committed genocide in Gaza through four prohibited acts: killing members of the group, causing serious bodily or mental harm, deliberately inflicting conditions calculated to bring about physical destruction, and imposing measures to prevent births.
Navi Pillay, chair of the UN commission, stated unequivocally: “It is clear that there is an intent to destroy the Palestinians in Gaza through acts that meet the criteria set forth in the Genocide Convention.”
The commission found that by July 2025, 83 percent of Palestinians killed were civilians, with nearly half being women and children. The report documented Israel’s use of heavy munitions in densely populated areas, systematic destruction of healthcare infrastructure, and blockade of humanitarian aid leading to mass starvation.
According to Gaza’s health ministry, at least 65,000 Palestinians have been killed since October 2023, though independent estimates suggest the true death toll, including indirect deaths from starvation and disease, could exceed 680,000.
Government Response Criticised
The Foreign Office’s response to the UN findings has drawn criticism from the MPs and human rights organisations. A spokesperson stated that “any formal determination as to whether genocide has occurred should be made following a judgment by a competent national or international court.”
The government added: “What is happening in Gaza is appalling and we continue to call on Israel to change course immediately by halting its ground offensive and letting in a surge of humanitarian aid without delay.”
This position echoes the stance taken by former Foreign Secretary David Lammy, who concluded in September that Israel was not committing genocide in Gaza, despite describing civilian casualties as “utterly appalling.
The MPs’ letter argues that such diplomatic responses have proven ineffective. “Diplomatic avenues – including condemnation and humanitarian appeals – have been tried and systematically ignored by Israel,” they write.
Liberal Democrat Support
The inclusion of Liberal Democrat MP Andrew George adds significant weight to the initiative. George, who represents St Ives, brings cross-party credibility to what might otherwise be dismissed as a fringe position from independent MPs.
His participation reflects growing unease across Parliament about Britain’s response to the Gaza crisis. In May, Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey publicly stated for the first time that Israel was committing “genocide” in Gaza, marking a significant shift in his party’s position.
The Liberal Democrats have consistently called for stronger action, including comprehensive arms embargoes and recognition of Palestinian statehood. George’s signature on the letter suggests elements within the party believe even these measures are insufficient.
Previous Parliamentary Pressure
The letter represents an escalation of parliamentary efforts to change government policy on Gaza. In May 2025, 65 MPs from nine parties signed an open letter demanding the government disclose its genocide risk assessments, following revelations that officials had concluded there was “no serious risk of genocide occurring.”
Signatories to that earlier letter included prominent figures such as Baroness Kennedy, Kit Malthouse, Baroness Warsi, Jeremy Corbyn, and Green Party co-leader Carla Denyer. They challenged the government’s assessment methodology and demanded transparency about the criteria used.
Medical charity Médecins Sans Frontières has repeatedly written to ministers detailing first-hand observations from Gaza that they argue constitute evidence of genocide. The organisation reported that the government never offered substantive responses nor agreed to high-level meetings despite multiple requests since November 2023.
Legal and Military Implications
The call for military intervention raises complex legal and practical questions. UN-authorised military intervention to prevent genocide has precedent, notably in Kosovo and Libya, though both operations remain controversial.
Legal experts note that the Genocide Convention does create binding obligations on signatory states to prevent genocide, not merely to condemn it. The International Court of Justice has affirmed these duties extend beyond territorial boundaries when states have capacity to influence events.
However, military intervention would require substantial international support and likely face fierce opposition from Israel and its allies. The practical challenges of establishing protected zones in Gaza whilst Israeli forces maintain control would be immense.
Growing Movement for Action
The MPs’ letter reflects mounting frustration among activists and Muslim communities who helped elect them. All five Independent Alliance members won their seats primarily on Gaza platforms, defeating established Labour candidates in traditionally safe seats.
Iqbal Mohamed, who represents Dewsbury and Batley, became Yorkshire’s first independent MP since 1907. The engineer defeated Labour’s candidate by 6,934 votes after campaigning almost exclusively on Palestinian rights.
Ayoub Khan, a former Liberal Democrat councillor who switched to run as an independent in Birmingham Perry Barr, has been equally vocal. The group collectively represents constituencies with over 300,000 voters, many of whom prioritised Gaza as their primary electoral concern.
International Context
The timing of the letter is significant, coming as international pressure on Israel intensifies. South Africa’s genocide case at the International Court of Justice continues to progress, with multiple countries including Spain, Mexico and Libya joining the proceedings.
The UN commission’s findings add weight to these legal challenges. While Israel has dismissed the report as “distorted and false,” the accumulation of international legal opinions makes Britain’s position increasingly untenable, the MPs argue.
The letter also arrives as the humanitarian situation in Gaza deteriorates further. UN agencies report that famine has been confirmed in Gaza City, with nearly one million residents facing daily bombardment and compromised access to survival essentials.
What Happens Next
The Foreign Office must now formulate a response to the MPs’ demands. While unlikely to embrace military intervention, the government faces growing pressure to move beyond rhetoric to concrete action.
Options short of military intervention could include pushing for enforcement of International Court of Justice provisional measures, expanding arms embargoes, or supporting efforts to establish humanitarian corridors under international protection.
The Independent Alliance has indicated it will continue escalating pressure, with members suggesting they may table parliamentary motions or seek emergency debates to force government action.
As civilian casualties mount and the humanitarian crisis deepens, the MPs’ call for military intervention – however unlikely to succeed – marks a watershed moment in British parliamentary discourse on Gaza. It signals that for a growing number of elected representatives, traditional diplomatic approaches have exhausted their credibility.
The letter concludes with a stark warning: continued inaction makes Britain complicit in genocide. For the five MPs and their constituents, that complicity has become politically and morally intolerable.
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Image Credit:
Prime Minister’s Questions, 4 September 2024 — photo by UK Parliament, licensed CC BY 3.0
